New research on development issues in Vietnam - Volume 6, number 17 (August 11, 2014)

[nv...@worldbank.org]

New research on development issues in Vietnam - Volume 6, number 17 (August 11, 2014)


**Agriculture and rural development

Rural development in a multi-layered local system: a poverty reduction program case in Central Vietnam.
Rural development in a multi-layered local system: a poverty reduction program case in Central Vietnam.
Misaki Iwai. in: Local Societies and Rural Development: Self-organization and Participatory Development in Asia, Edward Elgar, 2014.

Abstract: Similarly to other developing countries, the rual poverty in Vietnam has still been one of the social and economic problems to be urgently solved. The National Program for Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction (HEPR, xoa doi giam ngheo) was launched by the central government in 1998 and has strengthened under the national policy for Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy since 2002. .. Microfinance managed by a state-owned bank, or the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP, ngan hang chinh sach xa hoi), which provides low-interest credit without collateral, is the main scheme of this program and has successfully provided credit to the poor and other social policy beneficiaries. The VBSP provides six programs of credit loan with the following objectives: (1) loans for poor households; (2) scholarships for poor students; (3) employment for the disabled; (4) loans for guest workers; (5) loans for living conditions improvement; and (6) housing for poor households. .. Why is VBSP’s microfinance introduced and entrusted to mass organizations in rural Vietnam? In spite of outstanding results, the actual performance process of the VBSP’s microfinance at the local level has not been analyzed enough. The purpose of this chapter is to examine how the development organization is accepted by the local society and then how it performs for poverty reduction in rural Vietnam.

The Economic Impact of Agricultural and Clothing, Textile: An Input-Output Analysis.
The Economic Impact of Agricultural and Clothing, Textile: An Input-Output Analysis.
Nguyen Van Chung. Advances in Management & Applied Economics, 2014, volume 4, number 1, pp. 27-39.

Abstract: This paper presents an Input-Output Analysis for Vietnam from 1996 to 2007, an important source of information for the investigation of the inter-relations existing among different industries. The Input-Output Analysis is used to determine the role and importance of different economic value added, incomes and employment and it analyses the existing connection in an economy. This paper is focused on clothing and textile industry and the input-output analysis is finished for the agricultural, clothing and textiles Sector. Our result show that the total output multiplier of agriculture is decrease from 1996 to 2007 where as the total output multiplier of clothing and textile is increasing during the period of time. However the earning multiplier as well as the value adds multiplier of the textile and clothing are lower and look like decrease compare with agriculture sector. Free full text http://www.scienpress.com/Upload/AMAE/Vol%204_1_3.pdf.

Non-Farm Activity, Household Expenditure, and Poverty Reduction in Rural Vietnam: 2002–2008.
Non-Farm Activity, Household Expenditure, and Poverty Reduction in Rural Vietnam: 2002–2008.
Trung X. Hoang, Cong S. Pham and Mehmet A. Ulubaşoğlu. World Development, 2014, volume 64, pp. 554-568.

Abstract: Diversifying into non-farm activities has been suggested as an effective way out of poverty for rural households in developing countries. Using the Vietnamese Household Living Standards Surveys of 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008, we test this claim, and investigate the effect of non-farm sector involvement on poverty and expenditure growth. Our endogeneity-corrected estimates show that an additional household member involved with non-farm activity reduces the probability of poverty by 7–12% and increases the household expenditure by 14% over a two-year period. Our findings also indicate that non-farm involvement reduces the hours worked on farm but not the household agricultural income. [sci].

Viet Nam's Poor Gains from Participatory Agriculture Research and Extension.
Viet Nam's Poor Gains from Participatory Agriculture Research and Extension.
Sununtar Setboonsarng. ADB, 2014 Apr.

Abstract: This document shows how an ADB-supported project on agriculture science and technology engaged poor farmers in Viet Nam to address critical agricultural issues and led to higher productivity and exports. Highlights: (i) Viet Nam’s agriculture science and technology sector is beset with challenges, from fragmentation to insufficient resources to lack of linkage between research extension and beneficiaries. (ii) A bottom-up participatory approach that engages poor farmers, especially from marginalized ethnic communities, promotes learning and stakeholder ownership of the project. (iii) By linking training, research, and extension services, the country was able to foster natural resource management that the poor can participate in, with practical and sustainable results. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/viet-nams-poor-gains-participatory-agriculture-research-and-extension.

Scaling Up Payments for Forest Environmental Services in Viet Nam: Lessons and Insights from Quang Nam.
Scaling Up Payments for Forest Environmental Services in Viet Nam: Lessons and Insights from Quang Nam.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 August.

Abstract: ADB supported the provincial authorities of Quang Nam in Viet Nam to scale up the implementation of payments for forest environmental services through a technical assistance financed by the Governments of Sweden and Norway. The project pilot-tested two innovations—the group approach and the use of a geographic information system—to speed up payments for forest environmental services planning and implementation in the province. Starting with five villages in Ma Cooih commune, the initiative expanded to include two more communes in the Song Bung 4 watershed. This publication shares lessons and insights gained from this experience, and with it ADB intends to contribute to developing a robust, affordable, and sustainable process of planning and implementing payments for forest environmental services at the provincial level, thereby helping accelerate its implementation. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/scaling-payments-forest-environmental-services-viet-nam-lessons-and-insights-quang-nam?ref=countries/viet-nam/publications.

The effect of land fragmentation on labor allocation and the economic diversity of farm households: The case of Vietnam.
The effect of land fragmentation on labor allocation and the economic diversity of farm households: The case of Vietnam.
Huy Nguyen, 2014.

Abstract: This paper investigates the impacts of land fragmentation on economic diversity of farm households in Vietnam. To develop the empirical analysis, a model is presented in which the estimated impact of land fragmentation on economic diversification allows for non-neutral technical change. The paper tests the theoretical predictions of this model by providing empirical evidence of the impact of land fragmentation on farm and nonfarm outcomes such as labour supply, profits, labour intensity and productivity. By using different methods aimed at verifying and checking the consistency of the results, we find that land consolidation may reduce farm labour supply, labour intensity, and improve farm profits and productivity. Similarly, it may release more farm labour to nonfarm sectors and increase nonfarm profits. The empirical results show that factor-biased technical change plays an important role in explaining the impact of agricultural technical change on economic diversification in Vietnam. Free full text http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/57521/1/MPRA_paper_57521.pdf.

The role of crop land during economic development: evidence from rural Vietnam.
The role of crop land during economic development: evidence from rural Vietnam.
Cuong Viet Nguyen and Anh Ngoc Tran. European Review of Agricultural Economics, 2014, volume 41, number 4, pp. 561-582.

Abstract: Under economic structural changes, some households intensify farming while others reduce it, resulting in significant changes in landholding. This paper studies the link between such changes in landholding and household well-being during a period of rapid economic transformation in Vietnam. Using a rural household panel data set, we find a U-shaped relationship between landholding and well-being: both accumulating crop land and moving out of farming are associated with higher household income and expenditure. Notably, these relationships are greater in communes that are less developed, suggesting that the benefits of structural transformation may diminish at higher levels of development.


**Banking and financial sector  

Asia Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Finance Monitor 2013.
Asia Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Finance Monitor 2013.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 Apr.

Abstract: The Asia SME Finance Monitor 2013 is the knowledge sharing product on SMEs in Asia and the Pacific, specially focusing on SME access to finance. The Monitor reviews various country aspects of SME finance covering the banking sector, nonbank sector, and capital markets. It is expected to support evidence-based policy making and regulations on SME finance in the region. The Asia SME Finance Monitor reviews the SME sector and the state of finance in 14 countries from the five ADB regions of Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. This report's highlights include the following: (i) SMEs are the backbone of Asia’s economies. Further development can support inclusive growth, employment, and the effort to overcome middle-income traps; (ii) Poor access to finance limits the ability of SMEs to survive and grow. Further bank efficiency is needed; (iii) Limitations of bank lending require diversified SME financing models; (iv) Access to finance is a critical part of SME policies; (v) SME finance policies focus on bankability; more work is needed on nonbank financing; (vi) SME finance policies should be addressed in a holistic manner that goes beyond already established ways. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/asia-sme-finance-monitor-2013.

Basic Principles on Establishing a Regional Settlement Intermediary and Next Steps Forward: Cross-Border Settlement Infrastr...
Basic Principles on Establishing a Regional Settlement Intermediary and Next Steps Forward: Cross-Border Settlement Infrastructure Forum.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 May.

Abstract: This report summarizes the results of discussions among ASEAN+3 central bank and central securities depository officers who voluntarily participated in the Cross-border Settlement Infrastructure Forum (CSIF) held in Delhi in May 2013. ASEAN+3 finance ministers and central bank governors endorsed the establishment of the CSIF under the Asian Bond Markets Initiative to facilitate discussions on the improvement of cross-border bond and cash settlement infrastructures in the region, including the possibility of establishing a regional settlement intermediary. This report shows the three regional settlement intermediary models analyzed by the CSIF members and suggests next steps moving forward. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/basic-principles-establishing-regional-settlement-intermediary-next-steps.

Causal Nexus between Economic Growth, Banking Sector Development, Stock Market Development, and Other Macroeconomic Variabl...
Causal Nexus between Economic Growth, Banking Sector Development, Stock Market Development, and Other Macroeconomic Variables: The Case of ASEAN Countries.
Rudra P. Pradhan, Mak B. Arvin and others. Review of Financial Economics, 2014.

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between banking sector development, stock market development, economic growth, and four other macroeconomic variables in ASEAN countries for the period 1961-2012. Using principal component analysis for the construction of the development indices and a panel vector auto-regressive model for testing the Granger causalities, this study finds the presence of both unidirectional and bidirectional causality links between these variables. The study contributes to understanding the importance of the interrelationship between the variables and combines the different strands of the literature. It also contributes to the literature by focusing on a group of countries that have not been studied before. One particular policy recommendation is to make the banking sector more accessible for those country’s inhabitants that do not have bank accounts. Another policy recommendation is to nurture stock market development, which will facilitate the increased raising of capital for investment purposes to enhance economic growth. [scidir].

Financial Monitoring in the New ASEAN-5 Countries.
Financial Monitoring in the New ASEAN-5 Countries.
Se Hee Lim and Noel G. Reyes. ADB, 2014 May.

Abstract: The five newest members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, and Viet Nam—continue to develop their financial sectors and catch up with the rest of Southeast Asia prior to the launch of ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. This paper examines the status and concerns regarding the five nation’s financial sector development and the impact of global financial reforms after the crisis. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/financial-monitoring-new-asean-5-countries.


**Economic development

Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program: Regional Investment Framework Pipeline of Potential Projects (2013–2...
Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program: Regional Investment Framework Pipeline of Potential Projects (2013–2022).
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 June.

Abstract: The Regional Investment Framework puts into operation the new Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Program Strategic Framework (2012–2022) that was approved at the 4th GMS Summit in December 2011. The Regional Investment Framework translates the strategic directions of the GMS-Strategic Framework into a pipeline of investment and technical assistance projects for the third decade of the GMS Program, from 2013 to 2022. The Regional Investment Framework covers a wide range of sectors including transport, energy, environment, agriculture, human resource development, information and communication technology, tourism, transport and trade facilitation, and urban development. As a comprehensive, forward-looking and strategic framework, the Regional Investment Framework embodies the collective aspiration of the GMS countries to expand and deepen their cooperation program in the coming decade. The Regional Investment Framework will also remain a living framework that will be regularly reviewed and updated to maintain its relevance and responsiveness as a planning tool for subregional initiatives in an ever-dynamic GMS. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/gms-economic-cooperation-program-regional-investment-framework-pipeline-projects.

Accessibility to credit of small medium enterprises in Vietnam.
Accessibility to credit of small medium enterprises in Vietnam.
Ha Thi Thieu Dao, Nguyen Thi Mai and Nguyen Thien Kim. Paper prepared for the Seventh Vietnam Economist Annual Meeting on 24th and 25th June 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, 2014.

Abstract: The growing possibility of a SME highly depends on its potentials to invest in restructuring and innovation. These investments, in turn, need capital and the accessibility to financing resources. Meanwhile, many researches state that difficulties in accessibility to finance of SMEs affect to economic growth. This paper examines determinants of accessibility to credit of SMEs. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies are applied. In which, logit model is employed to investigate the possibility of accessibility to credit of 756 SMEs and a semi-structured questionnaire is used to figure out causes of lacking connections between SMEs and banks in Ben Tre province. The results express that education of managers, collaterals, asset values of corporations, loans of corporations from Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), distances to credit institutions and head office locations of corporations affect to credit access of SMEs. Some recommendations are also introduced in this research. Free full text http://veam.org/papers2014/56_Thieu%20Dao%20-Mai_%20KIm%20_%20SME%20credit%20accessitbility.pdf.

ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard: Country Reports and Assessments 2013-2014.
ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard: Country Reports and Assessments 2013-2014.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 June.

Abstract: Corporate governance principles provide guidance on how corporations should operate. Adoption of international corporate governance best practices leads to long-term sustainability and resilience, and can be a competitive tool to attract foreign investments. ADB in partnership with the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum have jointly developed the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard, an assessment based on publicly available information and benchmarked against international best practices that encourage publicly listed companies to go beyond national legislative requirements. This report can be used by capital market regulators and other stakeholders as a reference to understand the current corporate governance standards across the region. It is also a useful diagnostic tool to guide improvement of corporate governance standards. The ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard provides a rigorous methodology benchmarked against international best practice to assess the corporate governance performance of publicly listed companies in the six participating ASEAN member countries. This common methodology provides foreign investors and external fund managers comparable information to form part of their investment decision-making process. The scorecard is a useful tool to demonstrate ASEAN members’ commitment to sound corporate governance which will be important to increase foreign direct investment into the region. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/asean-corporate-governance-scorecard-country-reports-and-assessments-2013-2014.

Modeling of Financial Distress Probability for Vietnamese Listed Companies.
Modeling of Financial Distress Probability for Vietnamese Listed Companies.
Phu Kim Yen and Nguyen Manh Hiep. Paper prepared for the Seventh Vietnam Economist Annual Meeting on 24th and 25th June 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, 2014.

Abstract: As to date, a clear overview and discussion of the factors influencing financial distress in Vietnam is still lacking. This paper intensively explores the determinants of corporate financial distress of Vietnamese firms listed on Hochiminh Stock Exchange. These are estimated from a dynamic logit model using accounting and market variables. We find that financially distressed enterprises have highly leveraged capital structure with low liquidity and profitability level. These patterns are more pronounced for firms with small capitalization as well as those newly established and less profitable. Free full text http://veam.org/papers2014/8_NguyenManhHiep_FinancialDistressProbability.pdf.

Optimal infant industry protection during transition to World Trade Organization membership – A numerical analysis for the ...
Optimal infant industry protection during transition to World Trade Organization membership – A numerical analysis for the Vietnamese motorcycle industry.
Tran Lam Anh Duong. The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, 2012, volume 23, number 4, pp. 491-510.

Abstract: This paper proposes a framework to derive the optimal dynamic path of tariffs to protect infant industries when a country initiates a process to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). The framework is based on the model of Melitz (2005) in which externalities associated with dynamic learning-by-doing provide a rationale for infant industry protection. Unlike the original model, this paper assumes that there is a time limit for protection: after a fixed number of years, tariffs are required to be constant over time at a low level. This setup reflects the nature of the actual WTO agreement. This model is solved analytically to derive quantitative implications for the optimal tariff path, unlike in Melitz (2005), where only qualitative analyses are undertaken. An interesting result emerges: conventional wisdom is that a country in this situation should reduce the tariff rate gradually over time so that it converges to its long-run rate at the terminal date of protection. By contrast, this paper finds that, in some plausible scenarios, the optimal time path of the tariff can be upward sloping. A numerical analysis applied to the Vietnamese motorcycle industry, a typical infant industry in a country joining the WTO, confirms such a pattern. [tf].


**Education  

Inclusion in Vietnam: An intersectionality perspective on girls with disabilities and education.
Inclusion in Vietnam: An intersectionality perspective on girls with disabilities and education.
Xuan-Thuy Nguyen and Claudia Mitchell. Childhood, 2014, volume 21, number 3, pp. 324-338.

Abstract: This article explores the challenges related to the inclusion of girls with disabilities in Vietnamese schools. Building on fieldwork which interrogates the institutional treatment of girls with disabilities in the Vietnamese context, we suggest that there is a need to think more critically about the inclusion and exclusion of girls with disabilities within social and educational policies. The issues that we will discuss are taken from a theoretical and methodological standpoint. First, there is a need for rethinking the intersection between disability and gender in educational policies and practices; second, we emphasize the need for understanding the implications of inclusion and exclusion in global/national/local contexts in relation to girls with disabilities; and finally, we suggest that using innovative methodological approaches is important to foster inclusion and social change.


**Environment  

Ecological risk assessment of the antibiotic enrofloxacin applied to Pangasius catfish farms in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Ecological risk assessment of the antibiotic enrofloxacin applied to Pangasius catfish farms in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Margot Andrieu, Andreu Rico and others. Chemosphere, 2015, volume 119, pp. 407-414.

Abstract: Antibiotics applied in aquaculture production may be released into the environment and contribute to the deterioration of surrounding aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, we assessed the ecological risks posed by the use of the antibiotic enrofloxacin (ENR), and its main metabolite ciprofloxacin (CIP), in a Pangasius catfish farm in the Mekong Delta region, Vietnam. Water and sediment samples were collected in a stream receiving effluents from a Pangasius catfish farm that had applied ENR. The toxicity of ENR and CIP was assessed on three tropical aquatic species: the green-algae Chlorella sp. (72 h – growth inhibition test), the micro-invertebrate Moina macrocopa (48 h – immobilization test), and the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The toxic effects on O. niloticus were evaluated by measuring the cholinesterase (ChE) and catalase (CAT) activities in the fish brain and muscles, respectively, and by considering feed exposure and water exposure separately. Ecological risks were assessed by comparing maximum exposure concentrations with predicted no effect concentrations for cyanobacteria, green algae, invertebrates and fish derived with available toxicity data. The results of this study showed that maximum antibiotic concentrations in Pangasius catfish farm effluents were 0.68 μg L−1 for ENR and 0.25 μg L−1 for CIP (dissolved water concentrations). Antibiotics accumulated in sediments down-stream the effluent discharge point at concentrations up to 2590 μg kg−1 d.w. and 592 μg kg−1 d.w. for ENR and CIP, respectively. The calculated EC50 values for ENR and CIP were 111 000 and 23 000 μg L−1 for Chlorella sp., and 69 000 and 71 000 μg L−1 for M. macrocopa, respectively. Significant effects on the ChE and CAT enzymatic activities of O. niloticus were observed at 5 g kg−1 feed and 400–50 000 μg L−1, for both antibiotics. The results of the ecological risk assessment performed in this study indicated only minor risks for cyanobacteria communities, suggesting that residual concentrations of ENR and CIP after medication are not likely to result in severe toxic effects on exposed aquatic ecosystems. However, more studies should be performed by considering other antibiotic treatments used in Pangasius catfish production and the potential ecotoxicological effects of relevant antibiotic mixtures on sediment communities. [sci].

The demand of urban residents for the biodiversity conservation in U Minh Thuong National Park, Vietnam.
The demand of urban residents for the biodiversity conservation in U Minh Thuong National Park, Vietnam.
Huynh Viet Khai and Mitsuyasu Yabe. Agricultural and Food Economics, 2014, volume 2, number 10.

Abstract: The total economic value of biodiversity provides policy-makers reliable information to estimate welfare losses caused by biodiversity reductions and perform cost-benefit analysis of biodiversity conservation projects. Searching literature reviews on economic-valuation techniques, the contingent valuation (CV) method has been popularly applied to estimate the economic value of biodiversity. This approach is based on a hypothetical scenario in which respondents are requested through questionnaires to reveal their maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for biodiversity conservation. The article used CV to study the Mekong Delta urban households’ preferences and their willingness to pay for the program of biodiversity conservation in U Minh Thuong National Park, one of the largest peat swamp forests in Vietnam. Logistic regression was used to predict the probability of respondents willing to pay for the conservation program. The mean WTP was calculated approximately VND16,510 ($0.78) per household per month for all respondents and about VND31,520 ($1.49) after excluding the protest zero and scenario rejecting respondents. Aggregately, Mekong Delta urban residents agreed to contribute about $10.97 million annually for the project of biodiversity conservation. Free full text http://www.agrifoodecon.com/content/2/1/10.

Central Mekong Delta Region Connectivity Project: Rapid Climate Change Threat and Vulnerability Assessment.
Central Mekong Delta Region Connectivity Project: Rapid Climate Change Threat and Vulnerability Assessment.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 June.

Abstract: The Central Mekong Delta Region Connectivity Project aims to enhance connectivity across provinces of southern Viet Nam and Ho Chi Minh City. It includes two major bridges, a 15-kilometer road connecting the two bridges, and approach roads. Given the high exposure of the Mekong Delta to severe flooding, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment was conducted to assess the vulnerability of the project to climate change. The assessment report provides a better understanding of climate change threats to the project infrastructure. It also provides project stakeholders with information necessary for consensus building for the adoption of a robust approach to responding to climate change. The study illustrates that a constrained time frame and limited resources may not be significant impediments to the undertaking of climate risk vulnerability assessments, which can provide valuable information at the project design stage to increase the climate resilience of large investment projects. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/central-mekong-delta-region-connectivity-project-rapid-climate-change-threat-vulnerability-assessment.

Climate Change and Rural Communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion: A Framework for Assessing Vulnerability and Adaptation...
Climate Change and Rural Communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion: A Framework for Assessing Vulnerability and Adaptation Options.
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB, 2014 May.

Abstract: This report presents the methodology and lessons learned from a climate change adaptation study conducted under the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Core Environment Program. The study yielded a framework and methodology for assessing climate vulnerability and adaptation options for rural communities in the GMS. It was conducted in biodiversity conservation corridors in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam during 2011–2012. The report introduces the framework, describes how it was applied, presents major results, and makes recommendations for future improvement. –

This study contributes to building understanding of the risks that Greater Mekong Subregion rural communities face with changing climatic conditions and of appropriate adaptation options. Lessons from this study can inform future research. The following eight recommendations suggest ways in which the study approach and methodology can be improved and scaled up: (1) Strengthen socioeconomic analyses (2) Apply multiple climate scenarios (3) Integrate community-based adaptation and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches (4) Improve participatory approaches (5) Integrate site specific crop model simulations where possible (6) Integrate an economic analysis (7) Analyze the broader policy and planning environment (8) Upscale to regional studies. –

Building on this study, the Core Environment Program will strengthen the capacity of Greater Mekong Subregion practitioners and institutions to conduct climate vulnerability and adaptation assessments at the community level. Through a consultation process and partnership with Greater Mekong Subregion institutions, The Core Environment Program will enhance the overall assessment framework and facilitate a wider application of the framework to inform adaptation planning in the subregion. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/climate-change-rural-communities-gms-framework-assessing-vulnerability-adaptation.

Voices of the Poor on Climate Change in Thailand and Vietnam.
Voices of the Poor on Climate Change in Thailand and Vietnam.
Hermann Waibel, Songporne Tongruksawattana and Marc Voelker. in: The Environments of the Poor in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, ADB & ISEAS, 2014 May.

Abstract: The poverty headcount ratios of the emerging market economies of Thailand and Vietnam have declined impressively (World Bank 2008). However, the rural areas are still much poorer than their urban counterparts (Healy and Jitsuchon 2007). Furthermore, the environments in which the poor live make them more dependent on agricultural and natural resources. Hence, climate change is especially afecting the rural poor (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Nguyen 2010). But little is known about how the poor perceive climate change or how it afects their livelihood. In general, vulnerability to poverty remains a major problem in emerging market economies such as Thailand and Vietnam, especially in the low-potential and poorer geographical areas, where infrastructure is weak and insurance and credit markets are often missing. For example, it was found in Thailand that agriculture in low potential areas is often performed by the elderly, as part-time farmers who adjust their farm organization in response to the outmigration of younger household members (Gödecke and Waibel 2011). Such farmers are probably less inclined to adopt the sort of new agricultural technology that could reduce the negative efects of climate change. In this essay we analyse the perceptions of the members of rural households in Vietnam and Thailand as expressed in a comprehensive set of panel data collected in 2007 and 2008 from some 4,400 households. We look at how rural households, especially the poor and vulnerable among them, experienced economic, environmental, and idiosyncratic and covariate shocks. We raise three questions that bear on the planning and implementation of interventions aimed at mitigating the negative consequences of climate change: (i) How seriously do rural households take climate-related risks compared to other shocks endured in the recent past? (ii) How much of an efort do poor and vulnerable rural households make to reduce the impact of climate-related risks? (iii) Do poor people experience or perceive climate-related risk differently than the non-poor and do they act diferently in coping with it? Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/environments-poor-southeast-asia-east-asia-and-pacific.

Modeling demand for catastrophic flood risk insurance in coastal zones in Vietnam using choice experiments.
Modeling demand for catastrophic flood risk insurance in coastal zones in Vietnam using choice experiments.
Roy Brouwer, Bui Duc Tinh and others. Environment and Development Economics, 2014, volume 19, number 02, pp. 228-249.

Abstract: In a choice experiment, households in Vietnam are offered flood insurance to mitigate increasing catastrophic flood risks due to climate change. Participants are asked to choose their most preferred insurance policy given expected future flood and mortality risks, insurance cover and associated insurance premiums. Although not affordable to everyone, there exists substantial demand for flood insurance. Insurance demand is spatially differentiated, non-linear in flood probabilities and mortality risks, and subject to significant preference heterogeneity. Since respondents are unfamiliar with the concept of flood insurance and education levels are low, choice consistency tests were conducted. These show that choice consistency depends on a combination of respondent characteristics, such as gender and education level, and experimental design characteristics.

Rapid flooding of the southern Vietnam shelf during the early to mid-Holocene.
Rapid flooding of the southern Vietnam shelf during the early to mid-Holocene.
R. I. K. Tjallingii, Karl Stattegger and others. Journal of Quaternary Science, 2014, volume 29, number 6, pp. 581-588.

Abstract: A new sea-level record derived from coastal deposits of the South Vietnam shelf covers the deglacial sea-level history between 13.0 and 9.0 ka BP. This record reveals a relatively constant rate of sea-level rise and matches well with model results based on the RSES-ANU global ice-sheet model. However, the sea-level observations reveal a significant discrepancy with model results based on the ICE-5G global ice-sheet model, which further questions the existence of Meltwater Pulse 1B The incised-valley deposits of the South Vietnam shelf also complete the deglacial coastal evolution of southern Vietnam. The regional sea-level records of the South Vietnam shelf, the Mekong Delta and the Cambodian lowlands reveal an offset of about 18 m between 9.0 and 8.2 ka BP. The shoreline retreat of more than 200 km related to this offset was mainly caused by the differential hydro-isostatic adjustment between the South Vietnam shelf and the Cambodian lowlands. However, the GIA-model results cannot fully explain this fast relative sea-level rise due to the topographic changes and, possibly, alternative melt-water sources not accounted for in the current models. [wiley].

How Law and Regulation Support Disaster Risk Reduction: Viet Nam Country Case Study Report.
How Law and Regulation Support Disaster Risk Reduction: Viet Nam Country Case Study Report.
Henk Tukker and Ngo Cong Chinh. IFRC - UNDP and VNRC, 2014 May.

Abstract: Viet Nam is prone to many different types of natural hazards. They are mainly hydro-meteorological, such as recurring floods and storms, but also include low to moderate risks of droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, cold and heat waves, and animal disease epidemics. Apart from their devastating impact on human lives and health, these disasters can cripple different sectors of the economy, from agriculture to industry, energy to education. Laws and regulations play a crucial role in reducing these disaster risks and building safer and more resilient communities. -- This case study explores the extent to which legal frameworks in Viet Nam support national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts against natural hazards. It covers a wide range of law and regulatory issues including the integration of DRR into disaster management laws, institutional arrangements, liability, early warning systems, infrastructure, building codes, land use planning, environmental management/climate change adaptation, awareness-raising and education. -- The study concludes that law and regulation is crucial to the current successes in DRR in Viet Nam. Although there remain some gaps in both the legal framework and its implementation, the New DRM Law seems likely to address many of these gaps. This study finds that many effective DRR mechanisms in Viet Nam are supported by legal frameworks developed over time, which detail the institutional framework, implementation methods, allocation of financial resources, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Responsibilities are now more clearly allocated and defined under the New DRM Law, but the well-established implementation mechanisms through responsible ministries and People’s Committees (PCs) remain in place under the New DRM Law. These mechanisms assist in the integration of DRR principles into the legal and policy environment in Viet Nam, which in turn contributes to sustainable development and community resilience in the face of natural hazards. [Tukker&Chinh-2014]. Free full text http://www.drr-law.org/resources/Vietnam-Case-Study.pdf.

Vegetation fires and air pollution in Vietnam.
Vegetation fires and air pollution in Vietnam.
Thanh Ha Le, Thi Nhat Thanh Nguyen and others. Environmental Pollution, 2014.

Abstract: Forest fires are a significant source of air pollution in Asia. In this study, we integrate satellite remote sensing data and ground-based measurements to infer fire–air pollution relationships in selected regions of Vietnam. We first characterized the active fires and burnt areas at a regional scale from MODIS satellite data. We then used satellite-derived active fire data to correlate the resulting atmospheric pollution. Further, we analyzed the relationship between satellite atmospheric variables and ground-based air pollutant parameters. Our results show peak fire activity during March in Vietnam, with hotspots in the Northwest and Central Highlands. Active fires were significantly correlated with UV Aerosol Index (UVAI), aerosol extinction absorption optical depth (AAOD), and Carbon Monoxide. The use of satellite aerosol optical thickness improved the prediction of Particulate Matter (PM) concentration significantly. [sci].


**Health care

Cost-effectiveness of haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine in Vietnam.
Cost-effectiveness of haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine in Vietnam.
Phuc Le, Ulla Griffiths and others. Prepared for the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making 18 - 22 October 2014, 2014.

Abstract:

Purpose: The study aims to analyze the cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine versus no Hib vaccine from the societal and government perspectives. –

Method: We used a static cohort model to estimate the costs and effectiveness of the two scenarios. The 2011 Vietnamese birth cohort was modeled for five years. The burden of Hib diseases was estimated from local epidemiologic data and relevant literature. We subtracted the future treatment costs averted due to Hib vaccine from the incremental vaccine delivery costs to estimate the net costs of vaccine introduction. Vaccine delivery costs, including vaccine costs, injection supplies and program implementation costs, were calculated based on government reports and 2013 prices.  A prospective cost-of-illness study was conducted among age four and under pneumonia and meningitis patients in Bach Mai hospital to produce estimates of direct medical, non-medical and time costs. The human capital approach was employed to estimate productivity losses. The net costs of Hib vaccination were divided by several measures of incremental effectiveness (Hib cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years prevented) to get incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).  –

Result: Over five years the introduction of Hib vaccine prevented 6,459 discounted Hib cases, 1,227 discounted deaths and 25,125 discounted DALYs. From the societal perspective, the ICERs per discounted case, death and DALY prevented were USD 430, USD 2,265, and USD 111, respectively. From the government perspective, the Hib vaccine program was cost-saving as it reduced government costs by USD 422,555 The base-case break-even vaccine price was USD 2.12. Although the Hib vaccine program was most sensitive to pneumonia incidence, it remained cost-effective in all sensitivity analyses; that is, the ICER per DALY remained smaller than Vietnam’s 2011 GDP. –

Conclusion: According to the WHO recommended threshold, the Hib vaccine program was highly cost-effective from the societal perspective and at the current co-financing rate it was cost-saving to the government. However, the affordability and sustainability of the Hib vaccine program is unclear after 2015 because the government will incur a six-fold increase in its vaccine budget if it pays the full 2013 vaccine price. In addition, the variability of vaccine market prices adds an element of uncertainty. Increased government commitment and improved resource allocation decision making will be necessary to retain this cost-effective program.

The EURO-URHIS 2 project in Ho Chi Minh City: contextual adequacy in cross-cultural research.
The EURO-URHIS 2 project in Ho Chi Minh City: contextual adequacy in cross-cultural research.
Stephanie Linawati Steels. Health Promotion International, 2014.

Abstract: The European Urban Health Indicators System Project Part 2 (EURO-URHIS 2) is a cross-national study that was implemented in Europe. It consists of four data collection tools that were specifically developed to collect health data at an urban level. This paper reviews some of the methodological constraints in adapting the EURO-URHIS 2 study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. No attempt to extend the original study beyond Europe has been reported before. Cultural, political, economic and social differences create specific obstacles as well as challenges. This paper sets out how these challenges were addressed, examining key aspects of the methodology, including study design, translation of the questionnaire and data collection. It was found that the EURO-URHIS 2 adult data collection tool methodology could not be replicated in Vietnam. A lack of basic infrastructure and population registers led to significant changes being made to the sampling and survey administration. It was recommended that the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was used as the replacement method. Despite the limitations in using the EPI method, the overall strengths and benefits were found to address methodological issues and the resource poor setting.
Suboptimal breastfeeding practices are associated with infant illness in Vietnam.
Suboptimal breastfeeding practices are associated with infant illness in Vietnam.
Nemat Hajeebhoy, Phuong H Nguyen and others. International Breastfeeding Journal, 2014, volume 9, number 12.

Abstract:

Background: Despite evidence supporting the importance of breastfeeding to child health, breastfeeding practices remain suboptimal in Vietnam. There is currently little evidence on the importance of breastfeeding in the prevention of morbidity during infancy in Vietnam. In order to provide country specific data for policy makers to support breastfeeding friendly policies and programs, analysis was undertaken on a cross-sectional dataset to investigate the association between breastfeeding practices and prevalence of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection (ARI) among infants aged 0-5 months. –

Methods: Data on socio-demographic characteristics, infant feeding practices and prevalence of diarrhea and ARI were obtained from 6,068 mother-child dyads in 11 provinces of Vietnam in 2011. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the associations between breastfeeding practices and child illnesses. –

Results: On average, the prevalence of diarrhea and ARI among infants 0-5 months was 5.3% and 24.5%, respectively. Though half of all infants were breastfed within one hour of birth, 73.3% were given prelacteal foods in the first three days after birth. Only 20.2% of children 0-5 months old were exclusively breastfed, while 32.4% were predominantly breastfed and 47.4% partially breastfed. After adjusting for confounders, early initiation of breastfeeding was associated with lower prevalence of diarrhea [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.74 (95% CI 0.58, 0.93)], while prelacteal feeding was associated with higher prevalence [AOR = 1.53 (95% CI 1.15, 2.03)]. Compared to infants who were exclusively breastfed, infants who were predominantly [AOR = 1.52 (95% CI 1.05, 2.21)] or partially breastfed [AOR = 1.55 (95% CI 1.07, 2.24)] were more likely to have diarrhea. Prelacteal feeding [AOR = 1.16 (95% CI 1.01, 1.33)] and partial breastfeeding [AOR relative to exclusive breastfeeding = 1.24 (95% CI 1.03, 1.48)] were associated with higher prevalence of ARI. While the protective effects of exclusive breastfeeding against diarrhea declined with child age, this effect for ARI appears to have remained constant. –

Conclusions: Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding protects against diarrhea and ARI. Results confirm that interventions to improve early and exclusive breastfeeding would contribute to improving child health and nutrition in Vietnam. Free full text http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/9/1/12/abstract.


**Transport

Capital Mobilization of PPP for Sustainable Transport Development in Vietnam.
Capital Mobilization of PPP for Sustainable Transport Development in Vietnam.
Trinh Thu THUY and Trinh Van CHINH. in: Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.9, 2013, 2014.

Abstract: This article presents views and research on PPP implementation in transport infrastructure development in Vietnam. In the context of infrastructure demand in Vietnam grows rapidly, meanwhile government budgets and donors are limited, public-private partnership (PPP) is considered as a lever for financial resources and expertise from the private sector to improve the quality and expand the coverage of infrastructure services in Vietnam today. Free full text http://easts.info/on-line/proceedings/vol9/PDF/P61.pdf.


**Social issues  

Measuring Social Protection Expenditures in Southeast Asia: Estimates Using the Social Protection Index.
Measuring Social Protection Expenditures in Southeast Asia: Estimates Using the Social Protection Index.
Sri Wening Handayani. ADB, 2014 July.

Abstract: This paper provides a cross-country analysis of social protection programs in Southeast Asia. ADB’s Social Protection Index is used to assess program coverage, benefit-level, and impact on poverty and gender equity. While social protection expenditures differ across country income classifications, results show that total spending has remained low. Social insurance dominates total spending but only primarily benefits formal sector workers. Social assistance programs directly targeted to the poor remain underdeveloped. Labor market programs are inadequate. Evidences suggest that social protection expenditures need to be scaled up to increase benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable groups and cover moderately poor population. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/measuring-social-protection-expenditures-southeast-asia.

Rural-urban migration in Vietnam and China: gendered householding, production of space and the state.
Rural-urban migration in Vietnam and China: gendered householding, production of space and the state.
Minh T.N. Nguyen and Catherine Locke. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 2014, pp. 1-22.

Abstract: The transition from state socialism to market socialism in Vietnam and China has been characterized by unprecedented rural-urban migration. We argue that this migration is integral rather than incidental to the gendered reproduction of state and society. A review of the emerging literature on trans-local householding explores the process whereby the reflexive engagement of the state and the household remakes rural-urban differentiation in ways that are deeply gendered and classed. As such, state regulation and control of migrants are part of a process of reconfiguring state-society relations in which the production of space and the symbolic valuation of ruralness and urbanness have become a central trope.


**Tourism

Exploring the role of technology, tourism and financial development: an empirical study of Vietnam.
Exploring the role of technology, tourism and financial development: an empirical study of Vietnam.
Ronald Ravinesh Kumar. Quality & Quantity, 2014, volume 48, number 5, pp. 2881-2898.

Abstract: Vietnam is one of the emerging and industrializing developing countries in East Asia that has experienced a growth in tourism, information and communications technology (ICT) and financial development over the last three decades largely supported by significant structural reforms to escalate its path towards modernization and industrialization by 2020. In this paper, we explore the short-run and long-run effects of tourism, ICT and financial development over the period 1980–2010. Further, we examine the causation between these contemporary drivers of growth. The results show tourism has a positive and statistically significant effect in the short-run whereas ICT and financial development have a momentous positive and significant effect in the long-run. The causality results show unidirectional causation from capital per worker, ICT and financial development to output per worker; from ICT and financial development to capital per worker; and from capital per worker to tourism. Further, we also note a bi-directional causation between tourism and output per worker indicating their mutually reinforcing effect in the economy. [spr].


**Trade

Determinants of Vietnam's Exports: Application of the Gravity Model.
Determinants of Vietnam's Exports: Application of the Gravity Model.
Nguyen Huy Quynh, 2014.

Abstract: The success of exports in Vietnam has become a driving force for economic growth since the reform in 1986. The paper uses data from 2001 to 2004 to estimates the gravity model for Vietnam’s exports with the random effect estimation. The empirical results show that the bilateral trade of Vietnam has positive relationship with the country’s GDP and importing countries’ GDP. Furthermore, it has a negative relationship with distance from Vietnam to trading partners. These results are the same as the previous studies of the gravity model. Particularly, foreign direct investment, border effects and exchange rate play a significant role in promoting exports of Vietnam. Besides, the deepened integration into the region and world market also has significant impacts on expanding exports of Vietnam. Therefore, these factors have contributed to explaining the success in exports of Vietnam over the past few years. Free full text http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2475781.

Evidence of Trade Diversion: Effects of EU Antidumping Duties on Vietnamese Footwear.
Evidence of Trade Diversion: Effects of EU Antidumping Duties on Vietnamese Footwear.
Nguyen Trong Hoai, Nguyen Truong Toan and Pham Hoang Van. Paper prepared for the Seventh Vietnam Economist Annual Meeting on 24th and 25th June 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, 2014.

Abstract: This paper evaluates the impact of the 2006 European Union antidumping action on Vietnamese footwear on three markets: imports to the EU, footwear producers in Vietnam, and the trade diversionary adjustment of Vietnamese  firms in the US market. We find that the AD action reduced Vietnamese footwear imports to the EU by as much as 65%. This is economically significant considering that the EU makes up almost two-thirds of Vietnam's footwear exports and footwear is among the top four export industries for Vietnam. Consistent with predictions of our model, we also  nd evidence of trade diversion by Vietnamese producers from the EU to the US market. Our difference-in-difference estimates of the AD actions of the value on Vietnamese footwear imports to the U.S. ranged from 120-240% for the period 2003-2007 and 86-200% in terms of quantity. These results document the non-trivial trade diversionary effects of trade policy, which is often overlooked in discussions about the distortionary effects of AD as a tool of protection. The diversion of product to the U.S. seems to have made up for the negative effects of the AD action in the EU market as there was little statistical evidence of an effect on Vietnamese footwear enterprises in terms of revenue, employment and payroll. Free full text http://veam.org/papers2014/52_Nguyen%20Truong%20Toan_Footwear.pdf.


**Water and sanitation

Urban Water Supply and Sanitation in Southeast Asia: A Guide to Good Practice.
Urban Water Supply and Sanitation in Southeast Asia: A Guide to Good Practice.
Arthur C. McIntosh. ADB, 2014 June.
Abstract: The purpose of this book is to provide stakeholders in Southeast Asian urban water supply and sanitation (meaning governments, utilities, consultants, donors, and nongovernment organizations) with a point of reference and some tools to move effectively and efficiently to improve both development and operational performance. The ultimate aim is good quality 24/7 piped water in all homes. It is a contribution toward ADB's overarching goal of poverty reduction. Free full text http://www.adb.org/publications/urban-water-supply-and-sanitation-southeast-asia-guide-good-practice.





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